Secret Love
by EmmettIsMyHero
Summary: - "So what you're saying is...you want to be friends... with benefits?" - A story of how two best-friends took an unexpected path in their relationship. The drama, trials and adventures...but in the end, will they finally see what they are supposed to be?
1. Chapter 1

**This story is a collaboration with myself and jojoStarr. We hope you enjoy. :)**

**Disclaimer: Twilight and all of its characters belong to Stephenie Meyer. Not me. This will be in effect for all future chapters.**

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Bella took a long look at the god lying beside her. With his perfectly chiseled face and the strands of bronze hair that fell over his closed eyes…she'd be lying if she said he wasn't beautiful. On their own accord, her eyes ran down his body and watched in fascination as his chest rose and fell while ragged breaths left his mouth; much like herself.

Edward felt her gaze on him and flipped open his eyes, willing her to look up. And she did.

As brown orbs connected with the emerald sea, Bella felt…different. They'd done this many times before, but something had occurred…or rather someone had said something to send her mind on a whirl…causing her to _think_. Now as she lay on the bed, with nothing but the sheets to cover her exposed body, she tried to remember how they'd gotten here in the first place. How two best friends had traveled down an unexpected road…because one was afraid of commitment.

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**This is just a preface to see what you think of the story. If we were to continue, the chapters would be much longer.**

**So, review and tell us whether you liked it and we should continue, or not.**


	2. Chapter 2

**We're going back in time. This day that takes place occurs before the events in the preface. This way, you'll see Bella and Edward's relationship, and how they arrived at that certain decision. So, it'll be a couple chapters before that kicks in, and then a couple more before we're brought back to the present…**

**Now, on with the story...**

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Best Friends

There's a saying that everyone has a soul mate and when you meet that one who's meant for you…you'll _know_.

The world seems to pause as time takes a break. The passerby becomes a blur and conversations become muffled. It's just you…him…in your own little world, your own little bubble, with nothing in sight, but each other.

If everyone had a soul mate and that was how it really felt to meet them, then hell… Bella hadn't found hers yet. That, or all the words written above hold no truth.

But as she lay in bed this particular morning, her mind couldn't help but drift to a particular encounter with a stranger that had changed her life forever:

_Bella looked around the crowded park, trying to find her next source of excitement._

_Swings? No. Slide? No. See-saw? No! You needed two people for that and mom was busy talking to Charlie over at the benches._

_She watched her mother throw her blonde head back and let out a hearty laugh, probably to something Charlie had said. There was a proud look on Charlie's face as he realized he was the one making this beautiful woman smile._

_Bella's eyes returned to the scene before her and suddenly, she knew what she wanted to do next._

_Monkey Bars._

_Everyone said they were meant for the big kids, but she was almost one of them. 6 years old to be exact._

_She climbed up the steps and crawled up, sitting at the top. She was ready._

_Slowly lowering herself, she let her feet dangle and kept a strong grip on the bar._

_Yes!_

_Slipping one arm off, she reached forward for the next bar and gasped, it was too far away! She made the mistake of looking down and for the first time realized just how high up she was._

_Fear began to make its way up her spine and she opened her mouth yell for help…just as her other hand slipped off._

_Landing with a thud on the sand, she winced at the impact and soon began to cry._

"_Are you okay?"_

_She looked up to see a bronze haired boy about her age looking down at her with concern._

"_No," she sniffled._

_He crouched in front of her and began prodding her legs and arms with a scrutinizing look on his face._

"_What are you doing?" she asked, shoving his hands off._

"_You're not hurt," he answered shortly._

"_How would you know?" she inquired, slowly standing up and brushing the sand off her clothes._

_He stood up after her and crossed his arms in front of his chest._

"_My daddy's a doctor." He stated matter-of-factly._

"_Oh yeah? Well mine's a cop," she challenged, smirking as he raised an eyebrow. "See over there? That's a real gun in his belt," she added, pointing towards her father, but was surprised to find him talking to an unknown man and woman._

"_Hey! He's talking to my parents," the boy said._

_Both couples turned to wave at their children and suddenly Bella was interested._

"_Who are you?" she asked._

"_Edward Masen. Moved here yesterday from North Dakota. You?"_

"_Isabella—Bella Swan, lived her my whole life," she stated proudly._

Now, ten years later, they were almost inseparable. The rest of his family, Alice, Rose, Jasper, and Emmett, had come into the mix a little while later, and were almost like her second family.

A sigh escaped her lips and Bella got up to get ready for school. Straightening her clothes and quickly pulling her brown hair back into a ponytail, she frowned at her reflection in the bathroom mirror.

_So plain. So pale._

She walked back into her bedroom and picked up her backpack from where she'd left it the day before…on the floor. As she walked down the stairs, she could hear hushed voices and quickly assumed it was those of her parents.

She was right of course, but what she saw was completely unexpected. Her father, Charlie, was on one side of the kitchen, leaning against the refrigerator with his arms crossed over his chest; and a disapproving look on his face. While her mother, Renee…wait…what the _hell_?

"Mom! What happened to _you_?!" The words left Bella's mouth before she'd thought them over and now, as her mother looked up from her spot at the kitchen counter in the center of them room, she wished she could take them back.

"What is _that_ supposed to mean?" Renee asked, a sharp and unusual edge to her voice.

Bella's mouth dropped open as she took in her mother's tone. What was going on here? Why was her mother in the same clothes she'd worn to work yesterday morning? Why were there brown stains covering up most of the white blouse? And what was with the hair? It looked so…_sexed_-up.

"Well? You want to explain your question?"

Renee's voice broke through her thoughts and she looked up to find a not-so-friendly look on her face.

_Where's the sweet and caring mother who always greets me with a hug and a plateful of breakfast in the morning?_

Bella's mouth opened and closed as she glanced from Charlie, who was still intently watching Renee, and back to her mother. She felt so trapped under that scrutinizing gaze and no words escaped her lips. As she stood there, looking back and forth, she realized the air in the room was so tense, you could cut it with a knife. And the funny thing is, this wasn't the first time an awkward and unusual mood had filled the room when her parents were together. Lately, that seemed to be occuring more times than she wanted to admit. But she was good at pretending she didn't notice.

She was still struggling for a response when a few seconds later, a loud honk filled the house.

_Thank goodness! I owe him big for this one!_

"That's Edward! Gotta go! See you after school!" Bella squeaked, quickly turning on her heels and stumbling out the door. She made her way towards the Volvo parked ahead and an involuntary smile landed on her face when she saw its occupant.

"Morning Edward!" she sang, throwing her bag at her feet as she sat down in the passenger's seat and buckled her belt.

A radiant smile lit up his face as he looked down at her and gone were the worries of her parents.

"Sleep well?" he asked, as he pulled out of her driveway and onto the highway.

She laughed at his little joke. He knew fully well that she hadn't gotten any sleep last night. Every moment of it had been spent talking on the phone with _him_.

"You bet. You?" she shot back, leaning over to raise the volume on his stereo.

"Ditto," he answered, chuckling.

As the calming sounds of Debussy's Clair de Lune filled the car, she snuck a sideways glance at him and for the first time, noticed the faint scratches on his cheeks.

"What happened?" she asked, worry etching her brown as she reached up to rub the angry red lines.

He seemed to flinch at her touch and she quickly dropped her hand, not wanting to hurt him anymore.

"Emmett wanted another wrestling match this morning," he grumbled.

She snickered as the muscle of a boy flashed through her mind.

"Who won?" she inquired, raising a brow.

"Who do you _think_?" he retorted.

She rolled her eyes and faced the windshield, knowing fully well he hated it when he lost. And to Emmett at that…the man with a five year olds' brain. But fighting was the only thing Emmett was good at, and it was to be expected…

The car slowed down as they reached the school and he soon turned into the parking lot; pulling into the spot by a red BMW.

As he cut off the engine, Bella leaned forward to pick up her bag. She sat up and reached for her door…only to find it was already opened.

"Why thank you kind gentleman," she joked, as Edward relieved her of her bag and helped her out of the car.

"Always a pleasure," he responded, slipping an arm around her shoulders and leading her towards the school.

As they walked into the building, it didn't go unnoticed by Bella that half of the female population standing around was shooting daggers her way, but she was used to that. It's to be expected when your best-friend just so happens to be the hottest guy in the school. And the fact that he was single? Well, that was just an added bonus.

"Bellaaa!"

Bella flinched at the sound and turned to see a small figure with black hair skid to a stop in front of her locker.

"Yes Alice?" she asked, as she handed Edward his books for his first class before quickly taking hers.

"You're coming over for dinner tonight," she answered, putting her hands on her hips.

"Really now? And when did I make this decision?" Bella asked, amused.

"You didn't! Now come on, Jasper's waiting for us in first period," and with that, she began to lead the way to the classroom.

Bella shook her head laughingly as she fell back with Edward.

"Maybe you should just sleep over?" he suggested.

She thought it over for a moment. She always slept over so her parents shouldn't have a problem with it. But the way they'd been acting this morning…she wasn't sure if they'd listen to anything she requested.

"I'll see," she muttered, lips tight.

Edward threw a scrutinizing sideways glance and noticed her thoughtful posture. Something was up.

"You want to tell me about it?" he asked, as they walked into class.

She looked up and the concern was clearly written within his green eyes. "At lunch." She promised.

_-- Lunch_

"You know! If I didn't know any better…I'd say your mom cheated on Charlie!" Emmett boomed from his seat across from Bella.

A silent gasp escaped her lips and she threw a startled look at Edward. She'd just finished telling them about her encounter with her parents this morning, but she'd never expected her friends to think this.

Edward's gaze remained on the cafeteria table and Bella frowned, slowly returning her eyes to the brown-haired giant before her.

"My mom would never cheat on my dad," she said, quickly. Her voice seemed to falter at the end and it was obvious she was questioning herself.

Thinking a little, she realized she had never heard her mother come home last night. That would explain the same clothing issue, but where had she been? And why were there stains all over her blouse?

"Sorry," Emmett muttered, realizing he'd struck a nerve. But he was always doing that. Never double thinking his actions, he always spoke the first thing that came to his mind. And as funny as it was at times, of course he'd say the wrong thing every once in a while.

A reassuring hand was placed over Bella's and she looked up to see Edward staring intently at her.

"Stay at your house tonight," he muttered, flipping her hand over so he could intertwine their fingers.

"Okay." And she knew that was the right thing to do. But little did she know, _that_ night, would be the night that changed _everything._

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**I got a lot of PM's telling me to update, so there you go. This is what was finished so far. **

**Review and tell us what you thought. :)**

**EIMH & jojoStarr**


	3. Chapter 3

**Our apologies for the late arrival of this chapter. Tests, finals, track meets, it's been crazy. School's out next friday though...looking forward to that. :D**

**Thank you for your wonderful comments on the previous chapter. We're glad you guys like the story so far and hope you enjoy this chapter too.**

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First Kiss

"It's a stupid toilet lid! All you have to do is put it down when you're done!" Renee's voice floated down the stairs, carrying a hint of annoyance.

Bella remained frozen on the doorstep, with one foot in the lit house and the other outside, still in the dark. She'd just gotten back from the Cullen household and this is what had greeted her. Her face paled at her mom's colorful language and she ceased breathing.

"I'm sorry honey…I…I just…forgot." Charlie's pleading voice was soft, but loud enough so she could hear.

"No! You always do this. Your underwear's always left on the bathroom floor, the sink is clogged with your hair from shaving, you wake up last but never make up the bed, can't rinse a stupid dish…"

Finally hearing enough, Bella took a step back outside and slammed the door so hard, they would be sure of her presence. Taking a deep breath, she opened it again and stepped inside; it was eerily quiet.

"Mom! Dad! I'm home!" she called up in a fake, cheery voice, moving towards the stairs.

There was no response and when she reached the 2nd floor, she was surprised to see her parent's room was locked, with no sound coming from within. She definitely did not like the way things were going on around here.

She turned into her room, quickly pulled off her shoes, and changed into her pajamas…which consisted of an oversized t-shirt, underwear, and….nothing else.

She lay silently in the bed and when she was sure her parents wouldn't start up again, allowed herself to slip into the comforting darkness.

If Bella hadn't been a light sleeper, she wouldn't have heard it. I mean, it was so _quiet_. But it was there…And judging by the sound of the footsteps, it was most definitely Renee. No way could Charlie walk like that…considering that's where Bella had inherited her clumsiness from.

She quickly sat up in the bed and listened intently. There it was:

The little squeak as the front door was closed, the purr of Renee's Volkswagen coming to life, and above it all…Charlie's snoring from the next room.

_No, there was no way…_

Bella's eyes widened in surprise and she quickly jumped of the bed, stumbling to the window.

There was no mistaking the flash of blonde hair as the car sped past the house.

_No. Mom._

It just couldn't be…she just couldn't…

Bella stumbled backwards as if she'd been punched and landed at the foot of her bed. Her lips slightly parted as she gazed out the still open window. Her imagination was going crazy with the many scenarios that her mom could be in right now and she _knew_ she needed to do something to get her mind off the current situation. Screw the fact that she had school in the morning and she needed to rest, it's not like sleep was possible with the many thoughts running across her mind.

Glancing around the room, her eyes landed on the basket of clothes by her door. She quickly stood up and walked over. She'd been meaning to do her laundry for quite a while now anyways.

The house was eerily quiet as she slipped through her door and stumbled her way down the dark hallway to the laundry room. She flipped on a light and took a step in, allowing her eyes to get used to the brightness. But then, she spotted it…

Curiosity got the better of her and she dropped her basket, making her way towards the stained white blouse lying on the laundry room floor. She stopped right in front of it and gazed down, biting her bottom lip nervously. Then, making up her mind, she squatted down and picked it up.

It was a beautiful blouse and she loved it whenever her mom wore it to work. But the brown stains…and what was that stench?

Her brows wriggled together in concentration as she brought the lacey material up to her nose and inhaled. It wouldn't take a genius to figure out what the smell was. She may have never had it before, but the odor was a recognizable one.

Beer.

A look of disgust so startling made its way onto her delicate features as she stood up and quickly flung the offending item across the room. This was just too much to handle in one night. And as she made her way back to her room with hurried steps, she knew what she needed. Or rather…who…

Her pace quickened as she neared her room, causing her to stumble more than usual. Shoving her door open, she ignored the light switch and fumbled in the dark for her bag. As soon as that was found, it wasn't difficult to locate her cell-phone. Now, all she had to do was to push the speed dial.

She closed the door to her room and reclined on her bed as the ringing sound filtered through the speakers in her phone.

"Hullo?" his voice was groggy and she immediately felt guilty for waking him up. If he didn't have caller ID, she would have hung up, knowing he would never know who had called.

"Edward…" she whispered, struggling to keep her voice steady. It was a wasted attempt however, he knew her too well.

"Bella?" she could almost see him sitting up in his bed as his voice became alert with concern. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing, I just wanted to talk to you…" she trailed nervously, not sure what exactly she'd wanted to tell him in the first place. There was silence on the other end and she became worried that he'd gone back to sleep.

"You're lying…why would you lie to me Bella?" he asked, his voice sounding a little hurt.

"I'm sorry, I just, I'm so confused Edward," she mumbled.

It was quiet once more on the other end before there was a reply. "I'll be right over," he said, quickly hanging up.

She dropped the phone and quickly made her way to the open window. He'd paid her visits at night before, and it was an unspoken rule that he use the window. All they did was talk or play games, but they weren't sure what her parent's reactions would be if they found someone of the male sex in her room past midnight.

Her mind had wandered once more as she gazed into the dark and currently, the many outcomes of her mom's suspected actions were her focus. Silent tears slipped down her face as a separation invaded her thoughts. But she was thinking too far ahead, right?

She must have stood there for a while before a rustling of leaves caused her to look down and notice for the first time Edward making his way up the tree. It wasn't long before he reached for her windowsill and she took a step back so he could pull himself into the room.

As he straightened his body and brushed at his clothing for loose leaves, she couldn't stop herself. Her feet had minds of their own as they stepped forward and her arms had the same idea as they flung themselves around his neck.

Edward seemed to freeze in surprise at her sudden actions, but he recovered quickly. He hesitantly brought his arms around her waist and pulled her tightly to him, resting his chin on her head. Whatever was bothering her must be something major. And when he felt her body begin to shake as though she was crying, he became increasingly worried.

Pulling back slightly so he could see her face from the moonlight filtering through the window, his suspicions were confirmed as he watched the liquid pooling from her eyes.

He didn't utter a word as he carefully lifted her from the ground, before making his way to her bed. Setting her down, he took off his shoes and climbed in as well. As she scooted back into his arms, he planted his eyes on the ceiling and waited. She would speak when she was ready.

He didn't have to wait long.

"My mom," she gasped.

So it was her parents again? He wondered what had occurred between them to cause her so much distress. Though he'd be lying if he said he hadn't noticed the fishy behavior between them lately.

"I think Emmet was right…maybe she _is_ cheating on Charlie…"

Instinctively, his arms tightened around her in assurance as he listened to her latest discoveries. He found it very hard to believe that the Renee he'd known for more than ten years would behave this way. You've got to understand, she was like his second mom.

Bella dug her face deeper into his chest as she spoke of the beer-stained shirt and he fought to control his anger. How could Renee do this? What was she thinking, hurting her family this way? All of these things, he would have loved to scream out loud, but he was needed right now, and would have to calm down.

Sighing, he lowered himself down the bed until they were face to face, with no more than an inch of space between them. He reached up and wiped the fresh wave of tears that were streaming down her face and pushed back the strands of hair which had been matted on her cheeks. He began to pull back his hand, but was stopped as her little one pulled it back to its previous location.

He looked down in surprise, but was only met with a pair of chocolate brown pools, pleading at him.

"Everything will be okay," he soothed, stroking her cheek softly. He said these words, not because he believed them, but because he knew that was what she wanted to hear. At this point in time, he would do anything to provide his best friend happiness.

She nodded against his hand and scooted closer, her nose now touching his.

"Thank you Edward," she murmured, her eyelids drooping, signaling her need of sleep. He looked at her clumped eyelashes, tears stained cheeks, those red…red lips that seemed to form a pout, and couldn't smother the overwhelming need to protect her from any kind of harm.

"It's never a problem," he replied, tightening his grip on her in way that caused every single inch of her body to press up against him. He groaned in frustration as he remembered the skimpy excuse of clothes she used as pajamas and tried to inconspicuously pull away. But she was having none of that. Now almost asleep, he was sure she was unaware as her arms clung tighter around his waist.

It was almost painful. As the seconds passed and her grip remained locked around him, he became increasingly aware. Whether it was from the widening of his eyes as one of her legs swung up and around him, or the holding of his breath as she pressed her chest up against his, and he realized the only article of clothing separating the two was her shirt, he was aware. And you could hardly blame him; he was a guy after all. He'd never thought of Bella as more than a friend, but a certain part of him was showing otherwise.

She stirred against him and her face shot up in surprise. That little movement caused it all.

Their faces had been _so_ close; nose to nose, forehead to forehead, that when she'd moved, her lips had softly landed on his. It'd happened so quickly and was so unexpected, that they'd both frozen in shock. Who recovered first? It was hard to tell.

But all Edward could remember was the feeling of those slightly parted lips frozen on his, as the two stared at one another. And though he knew they should pull back, because they might regret it later, that was not the case.

Before long, their lips were moving against one another, as if they'd done this so many time times before. But that was impossible.

Why?

Because it was the first kiss they'd ever shared. With each other, or anyone else for that matter. Whether or not they would regret it would be answered sooner than they'd expected.

He pulled back to take in some air and found that she had to do the same. As he looked back into her eyes, it was then that the reality of their actions caught up to him.

Her widened eyes mirrored his and they quickly disentangled themselves from one another, meanwhile skillfully avoiding glances.

They lay on the same bed, side by side, yet so far away. For the awkwardness of the situation had forced them to lay as far away from each other as they could manage. But it was a twin bed, and though the space wasn't very much, you could have been easily fooled.

As their eyes remained frozen on the ceiling, the thoughts floating in their minds were pretty much the same. They were, for a lack of better word…confused.

Never before had either of them thought of one another as more than friends, though remarks had been made to them from others every now and then. But there was an undeniable spark as their lips had touched, and they'd be lying if they said they hadn't enjoyed it.

Edward knew for a fact that he'd liked it…and would definitely do it once more in a moment's notice. Was this how Jasper felt whenever he kissed Alice? This airy, light feeling in his head like he could do whatever he wanted? But what would this do to his and Bella's relationship?

It seemed she had the same thought in mind, for her next words signaled so.

"I need to think."

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**Review please, with what you thought of the chapter. :D**


	4. Chapter 4

**Sorry for the wait, we've been busy. I'm surprised Jojo was even able to help me with this chapter, considering she hasn't even had the time to update her own stories.**

**Also, sorry for any mistakes.**

**Thanks for your wonderful reviews everyone! :D**

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Sometime during the night, Bella had fallen asleep and Edward had quietly made his escape back home. It'd been decided that they'd think all this over and talk about everything in the morning. Because what had happened, was a matter that could not be ignored.

When she'd woken up this morning, a decision had wormed its way into Bella's mind. Now all she needed was the courage to spit it out to Edward

As she made her way down the stairs, she realized something: she hadn't heard her mother come home last night. Wary of the way things were going on in the family, she cautiously made her way into the already lit kitchen. The sight that met her almost broke her heart.

There stood her father struggling to scrape burnt, scrambled eggs off a frying pan and onto a plate, while attempting to pour orange juice into a glass at the same time. When he saw her enter the room, the items were pushed in her direction and a forced smile appeared on his features.

"Good morning dad," Bella said, taking a seat at the kitchen counter and staring at the food in front of her. "What's this?" she asked.

Charlie set the frying pan in the sink and turned to face her.

"Well, your mother wasn't here and I didn't want you to go to school hungry like you did yesterday," he answered, shrugging like it was no big deal.

But it was a _very _big deal. At home, Charlie was as lazy as they came and _never _did anything. When not at work, his daily exercise was achieved from the walks up and down the stairs, the occasional flip of the wrist as he read the newspaper or ate his food, and maybe even a walk to the T.V. to change the channel when the remote control was missing.

"Wow dad, thank you so much," she muttered, momentarily stunned by this act of love. What was her mother doing to their family?

"You're welcome," Charlie said, glancing away uncomfortably. "I'm going to get ready for work," he added, walking out the room.

Bella was so touched by this act of kindness that as she ate her eggs, she didn't notice that they looked a little browner than they should be, or that there was an extra crunch in her munch.

She was on her last bite when she heard a car pull into the driveway, and a moment later, the front door opening. She knew very well who it was, so when she heard the footsteps walk past the kitchen, kept her eyes planted on the counter. She didn't want an image to accompany the thoughts she'd had running through her head last night.

When the footsteps faded away, a sigh of relief escaped her lips and she quickly rinsed her plate, glass, and other utensils that had been in the sink.

"What are _you _looking at?!" Renee's voice was defensive as it drifted downstairs and suddenly, Bella was glad she hadn't looked at her. Hoping to escape the sounds of yet another fight, she picked up her bag and fled out the door.

She was early, so she walked down to the end of the driveway and waited. She had just begun contemplating simply driving her rusty old truck to school when the familiar silver Volvo made a turn onto her street. When it pulled to a stop in front of her, she got into the passenger seat as was routine and sat down, but there were no good mornings said as he took off down the street.

As soon as she'd seen Edward, memories of what had happened hit her full force. She'd been so sure of what she was going to tell him before, but now was a different story.

"So…" he began, trailing off suggestively.

"She came home this morning," she said, knowing fully well that's not what he'd meant to talk about. But he cooperated anyways.

"Really? How'd it go?" he asked, turning onto the highway.

"I don't know. I didn't even look at her when she came in. But I could tell they were about to fight again, that's why I was outside."

"Oh."

"Yeah."

"You want to talk about what happened last night?" he asked, cutting to the chase. They couldn't avoid this conversation forever.

"No."

"I liked it you know. I've never kissed a girl like that before, but I really liked it," he said anyways.

A quick glance up at his face confirmed that he was serious. She wanted so badly to tell him that she'd liked it too, but where would that lead to? Obviously down a path, that considering everything occurring in her life, she was sure she wasn't ready to take.

"Not now Edward…please."

--

"Ms. Swan? Your answer please?" the AP US History teacher, Mrs. Fultz asked.

Bella's eyes widened in surprise, considering she hadn't heard the question, and when she chanced a sideways glance at Edward, he seemed to be in his own little world…exactly where she'd been.

"Um, could you repeat the question please?" she squeaked, aware that almost every pair of eyes in the room were on her. Taking a peek at the clock on the wall, she was glad to see there was only one minute until lunchtime.

"Which president was almost impeached for committing perjury?"

"Uh…Nixon?"

"Wrong. Bill Clinton," she corrected, just as the bell rang. "I'd like to see you and Mr. Cullen up here for a minute."

_Agh! How could she miss that?! _

A groan could be heard from Edward's direction as he stood up and followed her to the teacher's desk.

"Yes?"

"Is there something wrong? You two are usually my best students, but you both seem…distracted today," she asked, looking genuinely concerned. And she was.

"No, we're probably just having an off day. You know, tired…" Edward offered.

"Uh-hmm" Bella added.

"Right," Mrs. Fultz said, sounding very unconvinced. "I'll be here if you need to talk about anything. Have a nice day," she finished, gesturing for them to leave.

As they made their way to the lunch room, Bella couldn't help but think that if a teacher noticed their odd behavior, surely their friends would too. But then again…what was the normal behavior between them? They were always close so…

Bella reached out and firmly gripped Edward's hand in hers, ignoring the questioning glance he sent her way.

They made a bee-line for their friends as soon as they entered the room, both having lost their appetite.

"There you are! What took you so long?!" Alice asked, as soon as they sat down.

"Bella had to make a stop at the restroom," Edward answered, pulling their intertwined fingers into his lap, away fro prying eyes.

There were a few snickers from Emmett and Jasper's direction in response to Edward's comment and Bella felt her face get warm. He was soo paying for that later.

"Seriously guys, how old are you? Four? Stop laughing," Rose said, while examining her nails.

"I wasn't even in the restroom!" Bella said, snatching her hand from Edward's, only to have him pull it back again. "Mrs. Fultz wanted to talk to me about a question I missed in class." It wasn't a complete lie. And was very believable.

"Oh," Alice said, her voice understanding. "You want to sleepover today?" she asked, completely changing the subject.

Bella paused to think this over. Yesterday she'd said no, and had witnessed and unexpected feat from her mother. If she weren't there to see it happen again, it'd be like it never happened, and who knows, maybe it'd never happen again.

"Sure. But _you're _calling my parents when we get to your house."

"Deal."

The rest of the day seemed to pass by in a blur and before she knew it, she was in the Volvo with Edward, on their way to his house.

"Esme will be happy to see you again," Edward said, struggling to fill the deafening silence that had appeared once he'd begun the drive home.

_Esme_. Bella could barely contain the joy she felt at seeing the woman who was like _her _second mom.

They soon arrived at the house and she got out of the car, making her way towards the front door like it was her own. She kicked off her shoes and stepped into the living room, where her friends were already lounging on the leather sofas around the room. She found Alice sitting on the floor by the television with a phone on her ear. A few seconds later, their eyes met and a thumbs-up was thrown in Bella's direction, causing her to smile.

It was at that precise moment that the delicious smell of Esme's chocolate chip cookies filled the room, so following her nose, she headed towards the kitchen; she had, after all, skipped lunch.

When she walked in, it was to find Esme in an apron, caramel hair pulled back into a ponytail, and a tray of cookies in her hand as she closed the oven door. As Bella watched her, she couldn't help but wonder when the last time _her _mother had done anything like that.

"Hello Esme," she called, making her way towards her. The beautiful woman turned at the sound of her voice and a smile lit up her face as she hurried to hug her.

"How are you dear?" she asked, but Bella couldn't find the words to respond. This woman, who wasn't even related to her by blood, had shown more love and happiness at seeing her than her own mother had been doing lately.

"I'm fine," Bella answered, struggling to hide her new found sadness. "A little hungry though…" she added, picking a cookie from the tray.

"Oh!" Esme said, disentangling herself from her and making her way to the stove. A plate was picked up and while munching on her cookie, Bella watched as it was soon filled with food. "Here you go," she said, handing her the filled plate, and smiling when Bella's stomach let out a groan of appreciation.

"Thanks," she took the plate and sat down at the counter, quietly eating.

"You want to tell me what's bothering you?" Esme asked from her location at the stove. Bella should have known she hadn't fooled her.

"Later, please." That seemed to be her answer for everything lately. It was as if putting everything off would just magically make them disappear.

--

"Bull crap," Jasper said, looking bored.

"What?! I was _so _close!" Emmett yelled, looking at the single playing card left in his hand, and then at the big pile sitting in the middle of our circle.

"Well, maybe if you didn't lie every time you placed a card down, we'd actually think you were speaking the truth," Rose said, rolling her eyes at him.

"You know what? I resign!" he quickly stood up and headed toward the direction of his room. What a sore loser.

"I think I'm going to bed now," Bella said, standing up as well. But who's bed to go to? She always slept in Edward's room, but things were somewhat awkward between them at the moment. And Alice had been the one to invite her over…

"All right! See you later Bella!" Alice called, tugging Jasper in the opposite direction, making up her mind for her.

She quietly followed Edward down the hall and stepped into his room, her feet immediately sinking into the thick gold carpeting. Once the door was closed, she made her way into his closet, where some of her clothes left from previous sleepovers could be found.

When she was dressed in a pair of shorts and a tank she walked back into the room to find him already on the bed. Suddenly, the black sofa at the corner looked very inviting

A sigh escaped her lips and she headed towards the bed, laying down as far away from him as possible.

It was quiet for far too long and she opened her mouth to speak, but he beat her to it.

"I don't like this."

She knew exactly what 'this' was.

"Well what do you want me to do?"

The bed shifted as he turned onto his side to face her.

"What's going on between us Bella? I just want you to tell me so that I'm not left in the dark anymore," his eyes probed her, as if the answers would magically pour from them.

"We kissed," she stated.

"I know that…" he began, but she held up a hand for him to stop. A wave of confidence had hit her and she knew what she wanted.

"And you liked it…and I liked it," she added, noticing a little smile appear on his face. "So let's do it again?"

"Now?" he asked, seemingly surprised.

She nodded her head and scooted closer, while nervously biting her lower lip. _Was she insane?!_

She didn't have much time to question herself because his arms wrapped around her waist and he pulled her to him, so much like the first time. Except this time, he was nervous as well. He would have to bring his lips to hers. No accidental bump would help him.

Noticing the hesitancy, Bella took it upon herself and raised her lips to his. Just like the first time, their lips automatically moved against one another, in sync. But unlike the first time, they got a _little_ bit carried away.

Perhaps it was the fact that they knew Edward's parents trusted them enough not to check the room, or like the last time, the fact that they were lying on a bed…barely clothed. Either way, they got carried away.

Her tongue slipped into his mouth as he pressed her to him, trying to get as close as possible. As her arms rose up from his neck to get tangled in his hair, her tank rose higher as well, and suddenly, Edward's arms were wrapped around her bare waist.

Her skin was so…soft, and warm…and smooth…

Without thinking, he let his arms travel further up her skin, slip beneath the edge of her tank top…but he knew when to stop…and did, just beneath those perfect mounds; realizing just how far they'd gone.

She soon pulled back and lay on her back, one hand moving to lower her top.

"That was incredible," she whispered to herself, but he heard.

"So what are we going to do about it?" he asked, turning to face her once more. "Do you want to be my girlfriend or something?"

_Very smooth Cullen. _He may not have any experience in this area, but he'd seen it enough times to know that was definitely _not _how you asked a girl out. But you could hardly blame the boy. This was his _best_ friend for crying out loud. It all felt so _weird_.

"I- I- I can't do that," she stammered, looking slightly scared.

"But I thought you said you liked it too?" he asked, sounding a little confused. She nodded her head in agreement.

"So, you like kissing me, but you don't want to date me…"

"It's not that…I would love to date you, but I can't right _now_. Not with everything that's going on in my family at the moment."

"Oh." He understood. It's not like his feelings were hurt. He just liked the feeling of kissing her too. Right? There were no extra feelings added on. He cared for her, sure, but as his best friend. And he was sure she felt the same way.

"Is there a way we could keep doing this, but not begin dating yet?" she asked, looking away embarrassedly. Her voice was barely above a whisper, but he was able to hear what she'd said.

"You mean…" he began, suddenly understanding what she was saying.

"So…you want to be friends…with benefits?" he asked, glancing down to see her reaction. The blush he received answered his question.

"Okay."

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	5. Chapter 5

**Wow...it's been a while. We are terribly sorry...life kicked in. Thanks to everyone who sent their lovely reviews our way. They were greatly appreciated and motivated us to keep writing.**

**This chapter is a little short and uneventful but it's a set-up for what is coming up next. Which, trust me, will be very eventful.**

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Think

That night, Bella found it very difficult to fall asleep. And when she eventually did, it didn't feel like she was actually sleeping. Every few minutes, her eyes would snap open and stare at the boy laying at her side –while her mind would wonder in amazement at what they'd agreed. It had happened too quickly and she was almost sure that if they didn't feel differently about it tomorrow, there would at least be some awkwardness.

Either way, she decided she wasn't taking any chances. So when her eyes drifted open once more and she caught sight of the time, she decided it was a reasonable hour to get up and get ready. Judging by the silence from the house, no one else seemed to be awake yet, but they would be soon.

She took one last look at Edward before slipping out of the bed and making her way to his closet. She chose an outfit from the few clothes she had there and tip-toed into the bathroom.

After taking a quick shower, she changed into the clothes and dried her hair. The muffled pounding of footsteps could now be heard from around the house as she made her way back into the bedroom, signifying that everyone was awake.

Well…almost everyone.

Rather than have him wake up to fine her standing uselessly in the middle of his room, she picked up her bag from the floor and stepped out into the hallway, before carefully making her way down the stairs.

It was dark, but a dim light could be seen leading into the kitchen as she stepped into the living room. Following it, she was not surprised to see Esme in her nightgown, cracking a few eggs into a bowl.

"Good morning," she greeted, motioning for Bella to come forward and give her a hug.

"Good morning Esme." Bella buried her head into the woman's shoulder, slowly inhaling the sweet motherly scent that seemed to surround her. She soon pulled away and took her spot at the counter to watch Esme prepare breakfast. It was while doing this that she realized she was ready to speak. Yesterday's events didn't seem so threatening at the start of the new day.

"My parents have been fighting a lot lately," she muttered.

Esme paused in her act of whisking the eggs and glanced up, realizing this was what had been bothering Bella yesterday.

"When did this start?" she asked quietly.

"Well, it's been going on for quite a while. They were just little arguments at first and I thought it was normal because all couples fight you know?" she asked, pausing to take a breath before continuing.

"But now they barely speak or look at each other. If they do, it becomes a fight. Mom barely comes home now too…" she whispered the last phrase, not sure if she should have said it or not.

Esme glanced up at the poor girl, and realizing she was deep in thought, didn't utter a word. It was a shame what was happening in her family, but she would do whatever she could to make the girl feel at home here.

As she thought, Bella realized she would have to face her parents today again. She couldn't stay away forever. Would they have magically mended their problems or would things be worse than before?

-

Breakfast was a blur or 'good mornings' and the sound of silverware hitting plates. In the process of thinking, eating, and speaking, she had forgotten of her earlier concerns with Edward. However, as he now stood by the front door, motioning for her to join him, panic set in.

Carefully avoiding his eyes, she dropped down from the seat and picked up her bag before heading towards him.

He didn't say a word as his hand went to the small of her back and gently guided her ahead of him to his car.

"So…" she began, as soon as he pulled away from his house.

He threw a questioning glance her way, as if to ask '_so what?_'

"How'd you sleep last night?" she lamely added. She could feel the color rising up her cheeks as the corner of his lips twitched.

"Fine. And you?" he asked, eyes focused on the road.

"Good. Good," was her smart reply.

Was this how things would be then? Awkward? Cause if that was it, she wasn't sure if she liked it.

"Bella…"

"Edward…"

They both stopped upon realizing they had spoken at the same time.

"Ladies first," he said, gesturing for her to speak.

"No, I'm fine. You go ahead," she urged, not sure what she'd been about to say anyways.

A soft sigh escaped his lips as he prepared to speak.

"I can tell you're uncomfortable right now," he began, casting a sideways glance at her face.

Yep, the color said it all.

"So you probably didn't mean what you said last night…you're stressed out…we were tired, so it's alright if you don't feel the same today-,"

"I-" she began, but he held up his hand.

"What you're asking for is pretty big so you need to think it over. When you're sure of a decision, let me know. I'll be fine either way. Okay?" he asked, shifting the car into park now that they'd arrived at the school.

Not being able to speak, Bella managed a nod before getting out of the car. He was right. She should think it over.

-

Although they managed to make it through the school day without raising suspicion from their friends, the 'awkward factor' was still there. So it was with relief that Bella slid into the passenger's seat of Edward's car, waiting for him to take her home. Maybe if she was in the peace and quiet of her room, she'd be able to think this over.

That relief soon turned to anxiety when they approached her house.

"Whose car is that?" Edward asked, as he pulled up to her driveway.

Bella's breath hitched as she gazed, wide-eyed, at the black Audi A5 parked in front of the garage.

She'd never seen the car before in her life, but there was sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach as the possibility of who it might belong to presented itself. Boy did she hope she was wrong.

"I don't know," she answered, her voice barely above a whisper.

Edward glanced at her and was surprised at how pale she'd gotten. Her chocolate eyes were as wide as circles and her slightly parted lips matched the shape. It would have been cute if she didn't look so frightened.

But then it dawned on him just what might be making her feel this way.

"You don't think-" he began, but she was already getting out of the car.

"Do you want me to come with you?" he called after her. She merely shook her head and called back to him.

"I'll call you later."

He sighed in frustration and gazed after the small figure walking towards the house. He cared so much for her. His insides were literally turning at the thought of who could be in that house. But she had made herself clear. She would call him later.

Bella stopped in front of the front door and glanced over her shoulder to watch Edward back out of the driveway, before pulling unto the street. She then returned her attention to the door and silently opened it.

Her ears immediately pricked up at the sound of laughter floating from upstairs, but it was her eyes that received the biggest surprise as she scanned the room before her.

_What the hell?_

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**Oo a cliffhanger...so sorry about that. But it was the best place to stop. We have made an outline for the story and are very excited about future events. :D**

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**EMIH & jojoStarr.**


	6. Chapter 6

**As promised, here is the next chapter for you. Thank you so much for your reviews. Keep them coming and the chapters will pour out that much faster!**

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Cheater

_Thump. Thump. Thump._

The sound of her heart pounding filled Bella's ears as she slowly closed the door behind her, while her eyes surveyed the scene.

She glanced down at the pair of unfamiliar male, dress shoes strewn carelessly in the middle of the hallway, followed closely by a pair of heels –most likely her mother's. Her eyes lifted and she gazed intently at the mess she could see ahead in the kitchen. When she walked closer, she realized that pots and pans had been swept off the island and were scattered around the kitchen, with utensils strewn amongst them.

A shaky breath escaped her lips and she moved past the kitchen to glance into the living room. Pillows were lying all over the place and a few cushions were dangling precariously off their seats.

She then took in one more final breath before turning around to face what she'd noticed as soon as she'd walked into the house –what she'd been avoiding. There were articles of clothing strewn along the railing of the stairs and on the edges of the steps.

If it hadn't been for this last piece of the puzzle, one would have thought a miniature hurricane had run through their house. But that obviously wasn't the case and an urgent groan from upstairs confirmed this.

She moved towards the foot of the stairs and picked up the first article of clothing. It was a red blouse; the material seemed to be made of silk and when she flipped it over, she realized there were a few buttons missing.

Her breath caught in her throat and she held onto the item before continuing up the stairs.

"Oh!"

Bella's eyes widened in surprise at her mom's voice and she quickened her pace, picking up a men's t-shirt, a pair of trousers and a black pencil skirt.

By the time she reached the landing, her emotions were a blur –each jumbled with the other. But one stood out from the rest…anger.

Her jaws tightened as her teeth locked in place and her eyebrows scrunched together.

She turned around, balancing the bundle of clothes in her right hand and faced the door at the end of the hall…struggling to make up her mind.

They were in that room…she knew they were.

She heard the high pitched voice of her mother murmur something and it was quickly followed by a loud sigh from her partner. Whoever it was, it definitely wasn't her father and it was no secret what those two were up to in there.

A tint of rose colored Bella's cheeks at the mere thought of it.

She slowly began to walk towards the room, eyes planted on the door.

That wasn't such a hot idea.

Even at the snail's pace she was moving, she somehow managed to scuff the tip of her shoe against the floor, causing her to immediately lean forward and lose her balance.

The clothes went flying out of her right hand as her left arm reflexively went out in front of her to halt her fall.

Needless to say, she was unsuccessful.

A sharp shooting pain seared up her left wrist as she landed with a resounding thud on the ground.

"Oww." She groaned in pain and slowly sat up. Her small lips were quivering as she struggled to keep from crying.

"What was that?" She heard the man's voice rumble, sounding alert.

There was much shuffling around before she heard footsteps padding towards the door.

Bella's eyes widened once more, the pain in her wrist momentarily forgotten about as she hurriedly stood up.

"Bella…of course."

She looked up, startled to see the door slowly widening as a frazzled figure, donned with a bed sheet, came into view.

Bella stared at her mother. Her eyes were slightly hazy, her lips slightly swollen, her hair a tangled mess…the anger was brewing within Bella with each new characteristic.

"Mom…" she muttered, her voice sounding no louder than a whisper, "what are you doing?"

Renee's eyes rolled in her head as she glanced down at the stupefied girl before her.

"What does it look like I'm doing?" She retorted, mocking her daughter's frightened tone.

Bella's mind snapped to. Was her mother mocking her?!

Her breath quickened as she struggled to maintain her composure –her eyes seeing red.

"Where's Charlie?" she demanded.

Renee raised an eyebrow, surprised at the cold, hard voice that was her daughter's. She opened her mouth to respond, but the sound of the bed squeaking as someone got up interrupted her.

"Who's there babe?" he asked, his voice getting closer.

"Go back to bed Phil, it's just Bella…I'll get rid of her."

An unhappy grunt was thrown her way before the footsteps receded once more. This was just as well because Bella definitely didn't need a face to complete this picture.

Her mother returned her eyes to her, a sly smile on her face.

"I don't know where your father is, I haven't seen him all day." She answered, shrugging as though it was no big deal.

"But if you'll excuse me, I have some business to get back to…and it doesn't involve babysitting a 36 year old man." She muttered, moving back to close the door of the room.

"Wait!" Bella screamed, reaching out to hold the door. But it'd been the wrong hand and now the pain in her wrist came surging at her, full throttle.

She struggled to speak but the pain was too much to bear and her face continued to writhe in pain.

Renee frowned at her in frustration before quickly shutting the door in her face and locking it in place.

Bella remained frozen in place and when the pain had somewhat subsided, she turned around and _slowly_ headed back down the stairs –in no hurry for a repeat fall.

When she'd reached the bottom, she walked into the living room and fixed the cushions and pillows with her good hand. She then moved to the kitchen, her steps slow and unsteady as she picked up the items on the floor and set them in their respective places, all the while wondering where her father could be. He was usually home from work by this hour.

She walked over to the house phone and dialed the number of the station. However, it was a different officer who answered. Apparently, Charlie had left the station to come home for lunch but had never come back, claiming he was sick.

That in itself was extremely odd. Charlie wouldn't miss his work for the world; no matter how horrible he was feeling.

She dialed his cell phone in vain, already knowing he wouldn't answer…he hardly ever did.

When the call fell unto his voicemail, she slammed the receiver down and leaned against the counter.

Where the hell could he be?

It was a very thoughtful looking girl that paced up and down the kitchen. Her eyebrows were knitted together so closely the skin between them was indistinguishable, her eyes squinted until she could barely see ahead of her, her front teeth nibbling on her bottom lip in contemplation, and her left wrist unconsciously cradled in her right hand.

But then…her head snapped up and her eyes widened in excitement, a light seeming to shine from them.

It was a long shot, but she knew where he might be.

Bella cautiously ran into the hallway, ignoring the groans from upstairs as she grabbed her keys from the hook by the door before heading out.

The door to her truck squeaked in protest as she yanked it open and jumped onto its springy driver's seat.

She soon had the key in the ignition and the monster of a truck roared to life before allowing her to slowly back down the driveway.

She kept her left hand cradled in her lap as she slowly made her way down the street and towards her destination.

Several minutes later, her truck veered off the road and onto the rough sandy terrain of the Indian reservation.

Charlie didn't have many close friends, but if he was feeling as depressed as she thought he was feeling, he most likely would like to confide his feelings in someone. The only person that had jumped to her mind was his old buddy Billy Black.

She maneuvered her truck on the familiar twists and turns before finally pulling up in front of the little house. A sigh of relief escaped her lips. The police cruiser was there.

She turned off the engine, the environment seeming deafeningly quiet now that the roar of her truck was gone.

She quickly opened the door and effortlessly slid down before closing it behind her.

"Bella!"

A smile slowly grew on Bella's face as she recognized the voice. She glanced towards the house and noticed the familiar figure bounding towards her.

"Hey Jake!" She giggled. _Giggled? _As he picked her up in a bone crushing hug.

She cautiously wrapped her right hand tightly around him as he spun her around. His playfulness had already raised her mood.

"How are you?" He asked, finally setting her down.

"Fine…I guess." She answered, shrugging her delicate shoulders.

Jacob watched her lively eyes slowly darken at his question and he almost slapped himself for his stupidity. How did he _think_ she was doing?

"I'm sorry…I shouldn't -" he began, but she cut him off.

"It's okay." She said, glancing up his tall frame to catch his eyes.

He sighed and ran his fingers through his long hair in contemplation before leading her inside.

Her father was there all right. According to Jake, he'd been there ever since noon. Only he and Billy knew what was troubling him since he'd confided in them, but Bella had a pretty good idea of what it was.

"Are they gone yet?" Charlie asked his daughter, when she sat down next to him.

Bella shook her head, her heart leaping out to her dad when his face scrunched his pain. She couldn't get herself to hug him…it'd be too weird. They both had a hard time when it came to expressing their feelings about each other.

"Did you bring any extra clothes?" He asked, after a little while.

"No…why?"

"I'm going to be spending the night here and you can too if you'd like."

Bella thought about this but her mind was already made. She would _not _let her mom drive them out of their house.

"I'm going to go back home." She said, glancing at his tired face to gauge his reaction. He was surprised.

"We live in that house too dad and if we start sleeping out because of her, she's going to win."

Bella wasn't sure what her mom was going to win but it seemed to work for Charlie.

He nodded and leaned further into his seat. She took that as her permission to leave but as she stepped into the hall, she heard him speak after her.

"I wish I was as strong as you."

---

The car was still there when Bella got home and when she went upstairs she knew they were still in the room. Didn't they get tired?

She shook the thought from her mind and entered her own room. She was happy to find that it had been untouched.

She changed into her customary 'pajamas' and slid beneath her bed covers –mentally and physically exhausted. She was starting to develop a headache from all the thought running through her head and her wrist was aching like there was no tomorrow. Before she knew it, her mind began to wander away from the current situation and she slid into a state of peacefulness. She wasn't asleep…she _couldn't _fall asleep.

_Ping._

What was that?

She quickly sat up in her bed and looked around her room.

_Ping!_

There it was again and this time, she knew where it was coming from. She got out of the bed just in time to see another rock hit her window.

_Ping!_

Bella shook her head laughingly and opened the window, catching sight of the bronze head beneath it.

"Edward stop that!" she whispered, before backing up to let him in.

As he began to climb the tree to her window, she retreated to her bed and slid once more beneath the covers. Soon after, the tall figure of her friend slid effortlessly into her room.

Without speaking a word, he took off his shoes and joined her on the bed.

"Why didn't you call me?" He asked, struggling to face her on the twin bed.

Her eyes lowered and she absently began to play with the buttons on his shirt.

"I just got back from Billy Black's house...Charlie's decided to spend the night there."

"Where's your mom? I saw the car…"

"She's in there with that man…_Phil_." She all but spat.

Bella's lips seemed to quiver once more as she relived her earlier moments at the house. Her mom had been _so _cold to her. Even when she'd seen that Bella was hurt, she'd merely slammed the door in her face.

What was going on with her family? This was like some soap opera.

Edward watched as Bella's eyes became thoughtful and he struggled to think of a way to pull her mind away from those thoughts. What he didn't know was that her mind had already moved away from her parents and was now on something completely different.

He watched as her eyes lowered from his, to his lips and back up to his eyes. There seemed to be some unspoken question in those brown orbs.

"Edward," she breathed, her eyes piercing his. "Can you help me forget?"

And suddenly he understood what that look was. He wanted nothing more than to fulfill her request, but it didn't seem like the right reason. She wasn't in the right state of mind and she might regret this letter.

"Bella I don't think that's such a good idea. You still-"

He was cut off immediately as her lips came crashing down on his. There was an urgent message in the way she tightly wrapped her right arm around his neck, refusing to let him pull back. And well…if this was what made her happy for now, why not play along?

Edward wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her slightly on top of him so that she wouldn't fall off the bed. She responded enthusiastically to this and pushed the rest of her body onto him.

"Bella." He warned, his tone chastising, but she took that moment to slip her tongue into his mouth. And Edward found himself…well…_wow_. Let's just say, he decided, he wasn't going to fight against her any more.

He loved the feel of this beautiful girl against his body, her tongue battling against his for control. He'd be an idiot not to.

She pulled away from him and he resisted the urge to groan as she sat up –the space where she'd just been seeming to get cold.

However that feeling soon went away as she reached for his shirt, her fingers fumbling with the many buttons as she struggled to use just her right hand. He didn't understand why she was doing that, but he lifted his arms and helped her unbutton the shirt. When she'd pulled it off, she laid back down on him, moving to lay her ear over his racing heart. A slow smile spread over her face as she realized the effect she was having on him.

"Edward." She began, moving back up to his face.

"Hmm?"

He noticed the hesitancy in her face as she looked at him.

"I thought about it like you said…and I still want to this. Just _this _you know? Not the other stuff yet." She mumbled, glancing away shyly.

He processed what she'd said and nodded in agreement, before laying her down on the bed.

"Hey!" she protested, struggling to get back on him. He merely chuckled silently.

"Bella it's really late and we have school in the morning. Trust me though, when I say we'll continue this tomorrow."

_Hmm. _Where had _that _self confidence come from?

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